RU186919U1 - DEVICE FOR GAMMA ACTIVATION ANALYSIS - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of devices for implementing nuclear-physical methods for determining the content of elements in various natural and technogenic materials and environmental objects. The gamma activation analysis device comprises a protective case, an electron accelerator with an accelerator target installed inside the protective case, and a gamma radiation spectrometer mounted outside the protective case. A ring with a socket is built into the protective case for receiving the sample to be analyzed; it can be rotated in a vertical plane to position the sample opposite the accelerator target inside the protective case and opposite the gamma-ray spectrometer outside the protective case, and the sample feeding and extraction mechanism is adapted to feed the sample into the nest of the rotary ring and extracting the sample from the nest under gravity. The technical result is to increase the accuracy of measuring the activity of particles, reducing the size of the device. 3 s.p. f-ly, 3 ill.

Description

The utility model relates to the field of devices for implementing nuclear-physical methods for determining the content of elements in various natural and technogenic materials and environmental objects, in particular, to a device for gamma-activation analysis of samples, for example, for determining the gold content.

State of the art

Activation analysis is a method for determining the composition of a substance, based on the activation of atomic nuclei and the study of radioactive radiation resulting from changes in the nucleon composition or energy state of nuclei. During the analysis, the sample is irradiated with a stream of neutrons, gamma rays, protons or other particles (activation of the sample is carried out). As a result of nuclear reactions, some of the nuclei in the sample are transformed into radioactive or excited ones. Identification of elements and quantitative analysis of the composition of the sample are carried out by measuring the intensity and energy of radiation of excited nuclei, as well as by the half-life of radioactive nuclei.

From the RF patent for invention No. 2045046, publ. September 27, 1995 [1], a device is known that uses neutron activation analysis to determine the mass fraction of gold and silver, mainly during exploration and field operations.

For several decades, attempts have been made to apply the methods of gamma activation analysis (GAA) to solve the problem of increasing the productivity of analyzes for gold and silver, reducing the cost of such analyzes, increasing the efficiency and accuracy of data acquisition. Specialists, for example, from a source V. A. Moshkov, Atomredmetzoloto JSC, N. E. Tyamisov, Yangeologiya Zolotodobycha OJSC, No. 225, August, 2017 [2] the following main advantages of the GAA method are known:

- the ability to determine the content in representative analytical samples weighing 400–700 g (usually only 50 g are used for assay analysis);

- the possibility of limiting the preparation of sample material by crushing samples to 1-3 mm (for assay analysis, samples are worn down to 0.074 mm);

- high productivity, comprising 500 or more analyzes for gold for a 6-hour shift and up to 300 tests for silver for the same shift;

- the method is not destructive, the material of the samples is not destroyed, which allows, if necessary, to analyze it an unlimited number of times;

- the analysis process can be fully automated; the analytical sample is sent for analysis to the mechanical transport system and returned from it in the same form; the induced activity of the sample material at the end of the measurement is absent.

- the results of the analysis can be saved in electronic form, including the spectra of activated samples, which allows you to visually control each analytical sample, and the results of the analysis can be quickly sent to customers (for example, by e-mail).

A successful example of applying the GAA method in practice is the Aura gamma-activation complex built at the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Plant (Uzbekistan) for planning mining operations to extract gold from Muruntau deposits and for analyzing geological samples. This complex, the device of which is disclosed, for example, in the monograph Burmistenko Yu.N. "Photonuclear analysis of the composition of the substance", M .: Energoatomizdat, 1986 [3] is considered as the closest analogue (prototype) of this utility model.

The main components of the prototype are a radiation source (for example, a linear electron accelerator of the LUE-8 type) with the equipment necessary for its operation; mechanical transport system for the automated movement of containers with an analyte; gamma spectrometers recording gamma radiation of activated nuclei and a system for controlling the operation of the complex based on a personal computer (PC). The prototype allows gamma-activation analysis of gold-bearing ores in pre-prepared samples using brake radiation of a linear accelerator with a gold detection limit of 0.6 g / t. The performance of the prototype GAA allows not only to fully satisfy the needs of all gold ore mining facilities of the plant for the quantitative express determination of gold content in exploration and production samples, but also to analyze the samples formed in the process of experimental and methodological and research work on the selection of optimal technological enrichment schemes and the processing of gold ores. The prototype allows the determination of the content in the sample not only of gold, but also of other elements, for example, silver, lead, zinc, tin, copper, as well as elements of the platinum group.

With all these advantages, due to the use of the GAA method, the prototype is a rather cumbersome industrial installation, intended for use in a stationary laboratory. Meanwhile, in the art there is a need for a relatively compact mobile-type GAA device.

This useful model is aimed at creating a device for gamma-activation analysis, combining the ability to use the advantages of the GAA method with the relative compactness of the design and mobility.

Utility Model Disclosure

To solve the above problem, the present utility model proposes a gamma activation analysis device comprising a protective case, an electron accelerator with an accelerator target installed inside the protective case, and a gamma radiation spectrometer mounted outside the protective case, characterized in that a ring is built into the protective case with a socket for holding the sample to be analyzed, made with the possibility of rotation in a vertical plane for the location of the specified sample opposite the accelerator target vn wipe the protective casing and opposite the gamma-ray spectrometer outside the protective casing, and the fact that it contains a mechanism for supplying and extracting samples, configured to feed the sample into the socket of the rotary ring and remove the sample from the specified socket by gravity.

By means of a rotary ring integrated in the protective housing, it is possible to repeatedly pass the sample between the accelerator target and the gamma radiation spectrometer, respectively, with repeated irradiation of the sample and repeated measurement of particle activity using the gamma radiation spectrometer. Thus, to achieve the same or even better signal-to-noise ratio characterizing the measurement accuracy, a less powerful electron accelerator can be used, which, in turn, allows one to reduce the size and create a relatively compact gamma-activation analysis device. At the same time, the use of gravity for feeding and extracting a sample allows you to do without complex bulky transport systems for feeding and removing samples, with a significant additional reduction in the dimensions of the device. As a result, a gamma-activation analysis device can be created, the dimensions of which allow it to be installed on a vehicle, for example, in a truck body for mobile movement between objects where analysis is required.

Alternatively, according to the utility model, it is possible to irradiate the sample from different sides both with a single and multiple passage of the irradiation zone by the sample opposite the accelerator target. This allows you to reduce the requirements for the depth of penetration of gamma radiation into the sample at each passage in front of the target and, accordingly, to further reduce the required accelerator power.

According to a utility model, part of the rotary ring is located inside the protective housing, and part outside the protective housing. The rotation of the rotary ring is preferably carried out by means of a drive located between the protective housing and the rotary ring. This allows you to effectively use the space inside the rotary ring outside the protective housing, with an additional improvement in the compactness of the gamma activation analysis device.

Options for the implementation of the utility model provides that the mechanism for feeding and removing samples may contain a cassette for holding the samples to be analyzed, located above the rotary ring and tilted down towards the rotary ring, and a shutter, when opened, the sample to be analyzed by gravity falls out of the cartridge to accommodate the samples to be analyzed, and enters the socket of the rotary ring. In this case, the mechanism for supplying and extracting samples may also contain a cassette for extracting the analyzed samples located under the rotary ring and tilted upward towards the rotary ring, and a shutter, when opened, the sample subjected to analysis by gravity falls out of the socket of the rotary ring and enters into the cassette to extract the analyzed samples. These embodiments of the utility model allow simple means to produce a compact mechanism for feeding and extracting samples, which can be located essentially in the same vertical plane where the rotation of the rotary ring

Further, the signs and advantages of the proposed device gamma activation analysis are described in more detail on the example of embodiments of the utility model disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a gamma activation analysis device according to a utility model.

Figure 2 is a schematic top view of the device of figure 1 when implemented using means of rotation of the sample.

FIG. 3 is a view of the extension member A of FIG. 2 illustrating an example embodiment of a sample rotation means.

Utility Model Implementation

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a particular embodiment of a gamma activation analysis device according to a utility model. Similar to the solutions of the prior art, the gamma activation analysis device comprises a protective case 1, an electron accelerator 2 with an accelerator target 3, and a gamma radiation spectrometer 4.

The protective case 1 is a component with which, through assembly operations using known fastening means, the remaining parts of the gamma activation analysis device are connected according to the utility model. Inside the protective casing 1, an electron accelerator 2 is installed with an accelerator target 3 intended for irradiating the analyzed sample. Accordingly, the protective case 1 protects the accelerator 2 from mechanical damage and protects people from gamma radiation generated by the accelerator 2 for irradiating the analyzed sample by shielding the accelerator 2 installed inside the protective case 1. For the manufacture of the protective case 1, materials providing with the selected thickness of the protective housing 1, the effective absorption of gamma radiation. For example, heavy metals such as tungsten, lead, steel, cast iron, etc. are applicable as such materials. The protective housing 1 may be made in the form of a single-layer or multi-layer screen of one or various suitable materials.

Accelerator 2 is a linear electron accelerator equipped with a corresponding target 3 (converter target), which allows generating directional bremsstrahlung gamma radiation. As the accelerator 2 can be used, for example, a linear electron accelerator with an energy of 8-10 MeV and a power of several kilowatts or another known linear electron accelerator having suitable dimensions and power.

A detector, in particular, a gamma-ray spectrometer 4, designed to measure the activity of the irradiated sample, is installed on the outside of the protective housing 1. To analyze the obtained spectra and process the measurement results, multichannel analyzers, microprocessors, computers or other suitable computing tools can be used.

According to a utility model, the sample to be analyzed is moved between the accelerator 2 and the gamma-ray spectrometer 4 in the vertical plane by means of a rotary ring 5, which comprises a socket 6 for holding the sample or, preferably, a plurality of sockets for containing the plurality of samples.

The rotary ring 5 is installed in the channel passing through the wall thickness of the protective housing 1, so that one part of the rotary ring 5 is located inside the protective housing 1 opposite the accelerator target 3, and the other part of the rotary ring 5 is located outside the protective housing 1 opposite the gamma radiation spectrometer 4. Thus, for gamma activation analysis, the socket 6 with the sample can be first positioned opposite the target 3 of the accelerator for irradiating the sample, then opposite the gamma radiation spectrometer 4 for measuring the energy spectra of gamma emitting radionuclides from the irradiated sample. In the embodiments of the utility model shown in the drawings, the gamma-ray spectrometer 4 is located horizontally on both sides of the rotary ring 5, however, another arrangement of the gamma-ray spectrometer 4 is also possible depending on the particular model selected for use in the gamma-activation analysis device.

The thickness of the protective housing 1 is increased in the place of the channel for the installation of the rotary ring 5, to ensure proper shielding of gamma radiation.

Above the rotary ring 5 of the gamma activation analysis device, according to the utility model, a sample delivery mechanism is installed, which is configured to supply a sample by gravity to the socket 6 of the rotation ring 5. The attached drawing illustrates, by way of example, a sample delivery mechanism comprising a cartridge 7 and a shutter 8. The cassette 7 is tilted down towards the rotary ring 5, when the shutter 8 is opened, the samples 9 to be analyzed fall out of the cassette 7 by gravity and fall into the socket 6 swivel ring 5.

Under the rotary ring 5 of the gamma activation analysis device, according to a utility model, a sample extraction mechanism is installed, which is configured to extract a sample by gravity into the socket 6 of the rotary ring 5. The attached drawing illustrates, by way of example, an extraction mechanism comprising a cartridge 10 and a shutter 11 The cassette 10 is inclined downward from the rotary ring 5, when opening the shutter 11, the analyzed samples fall out of the socket 6 of the rotary ring 5 under the action of sti and get into the cartridge 10.

Cassettes 7 and 10 can be made in the form of replaceable cartridges containing a certain number of calibrated samples. Alternatively, when performing gamma-activation analysis, samples can be fed into cassette 7 and / or removed from cassette 10 in automatic mode.

According to a utility model, the rotation of the rotary ring can be carried out by means of a drive located between the protective housing 1 and the rotary ring 5. The accompanying drawing illustrates, by way of example, a drive comprising a wheel 12 rotating in the vertical axis, interacting with the inner circumference of the rotary ring 5. Wheel interaction 12 with the inner circumference of the swivel wheel 5 can be implemented in a known manner by means of a gear transmission. As a source of mechanical energy of the drive, for example, a reversible electric motor (not shown) can be used, which allows rotation of the rotary ring 12 in two opposite directions.

Figure 2 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of a gamma activation analysis device according to a utility model, in which the sample is rotated in one or more planes so that when the sample passes repeatedly through the gamma irradiation zone, radiation penetrates the sample from different sides of the sample. The remote element A of FIG. 2, shown in FIG. 3 at a scale of about 6: 1, illustrates an example of the implementation of the sample rotation means, which is an electric motor 13 mounted inside the protective housing 1 with the rotation transfer mechanism 14 to the sample when the sample is in the irradiation zone, for example using an electromagnet.

A gamma activation analysis device according to a utility model, for example, manufactured in accordance with one of the embodiments of the utility model described above, can be mounted on a vehicle, for example, mounted on a truck, including, with the possibility of performing gamma activation analysis in a mounted on truck condition.

Next, with reference to figure 1 describes the principle of operation of the device gamma activation analysis according to the utility model. Samples 9, for example, samples of gold ore to be analyzed for the determination of gold and related elements, are loaded into the cassette 7 of the sample feeder, then the shutter 8 is opened and, under the action of gravity, the samples are fed alternately to the socket 6 of the rotary ring 5. The rotary ring 5, driven by a wheel 12, positions socket 6 opposite to the target 3 of the accelerator, where the sample is irradiated by an electron beam emanating from target 3, then opposite the gamma-ray spectrometer 4, where measurements are made e of the energy spectrum of the irradiated sample. According to one embodiment of the utility model, when a sample enters the irradiation zone, the sample is rotated so that the radiation falls on opposite sides of the sample — see FIG. 2 and the above description of the means of rotation of the sample. After the sample to be analyzed has made the necessary number of movements between the target 3 of the accelerator and the gamma-ray spectrometer 4, the shutter 11 opens, and the sample moves under the influence of gravity from slot 6 into the cassette 7 of the sample extraction mechanism.

The private examples of the utility model disclosed in this application are not restrictive and allow various modifications that a person skilled in the art can perform without going beyond the scope of legal protection defined by the utility model.

Claims (4)

1. A gamma-activation analysis device comprising a protective case, an electron accelerator with an accelerator target mounted inside the protective case, and a gamma-ray spectrometer attached externally to the protective case, characterized in that a ring with a socket is inserted in the protective case for receiving the analyzed the sample, made with the possibility of rotation in a vertical plane to position the sample opposite the accelerator target inside the protective housing and opposite the gamma radiation spectrometer outside the protective core pus, and the fact that it contains a mechanism for feeding and removing samples, configured to, under the action of gravity, feed the sample into the socket of the rotary ring and remove the sample from the socket of the rotary ring. 2. The gamma-activation analysis device according to claim 1, comprising means for rotating the sample when the sample is in the irradiation zone. 3. The gamma-activation analysis device according to claim 1 or 2, the rotary ring drive is located between the protective housing and the rotary ring. 4. The device gamma activation analysis according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, in which the sample supply and extraction mechanism comprises a cassette for receiving the samples to be analyzed, located above the rotary ring and tilted down towards the rotary ring, and an upper flap, when opening which the sample to be analyzed by gravity falls out of the cassette for accommodates the samples to be analyzed and gets into the socket of the rotary ring, the cassette for extracting the samples analyzed, located under the rotary ring and tilted up towards the rotary mu ring, and a bottom flap, when opened which has undergone the analysis of a sample under the action of gravity falls out of the slot of the rotary ring and enters into the cartridge for extraction of the analyzed samples.

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